Gambling

The question of gambling in Hawaii was raised in a recent meeting of the Hawaii State Association of Counties (HSAC). Representatives from Kauai, Maui, Hawaii, and City and County of Honolulu met in Kona.

Hosted gambling is presently illegal in Hawaii and Utah.

The League of Women Voters, at a national level and our state level, is officially against it.

Gail Laros attended the meeting and notes, "So it seems that again we may have to discuss the dreamed of possibilities of gambling as well as the pitfalls, dangers and even the sins of gambling. The winners and the losers."

Thanks for sharing your perspective, Gail.

GAMBLING IN HAWAII?

Do we really want legal gambling here in Hawaii? Or do we simply dream that our state would become rich so the state would have money for new and better schools and higher teachers' pay, new and better roads, more and better paid police and new and better . . .?

Of course we have those dreams. So do the people in all of our 50 states. Forty-eight states do have legal gambling, but their residents are still dreaming because their state's gambling income did NOT make their dreams come true or prevent the present economic meltdown.

Gambling is not the cure. Las Vegas has been hit very hard by the economic collapse, even though many people can easily go there to gamble. California raided their gambling (lottery) funds from their school's budget before the meltdown. Their dream was to have gambling proceeds pay for their schools.

When gambling was allowed on ships that left Hawaii and traveled outside of U.S. waters, the trips did not make enough money for the companies that operated them. So, who would provide the dreamed of income for our state if we legalize gambling? NOT the tourists. They can go to 48 other states to gamble.

WE, the residents of Hawai`i, would be providing the gambling profits, most of which would go to the gambling businesses first, then some to the state. The profits would come straight out of our pockets.

It would cause problems for the many people who cannot resist the lure of a bet, a challenge, a gamble and for those who "just love to gamble", or become addicted to gambling.

I believe that gambling would NOT make our dreams come true. It also would NOT increase our spirit of Aloha.